Trump's Bold Move: Will He Ditch US Troops in Korea?
Lee heads to DC amid alliance shake-up fears.
In a high-stakes diplomatic showdown, South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung is set to jet off to Washington for an August 25 face-off with US President Donald Trump, focusing on bolstering trade ties and fortifying defenses against North Korea's nuclear arsenal and emerging global risks, according to Lee's office.
This summit builds on last month's blockbuster trade pact, where the US slashed its retaliatory tariff on South Korean imports to 15% from a steeper 25%, extending the same leniency to South Korea's lucrative auto exports to America.
In return, Seoul pledged a massive $100 billion splurge on US energy resources and a whopping $350 billion investment infusion into the US economy. Insiders hint the leaders might dive deeper into joint ventures in cutting-edge sectors like chip manufacturing, electric vehicle batteries, and naval construction, as revealed by Lee's aide Kang Yu-jung.
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But tensions simmer beneath the surface: Seoul worries Trump's team could upend their longstanding partnership by jacking up fees for the 28,500 US soldiers guarding South Korean soil, or even scaling back the deployment as America pivots harder toward containing China.
The duo plans to hash out ramping up their military stance against Pyongyang's escalating provocations, while evolving the bond into a forward-thinking, all-encompassing strategic pact to navigate shifting worldwide security and economic landscapes, Kang noted, though details remain under wraps.
Trump's longstanding gripe from his first White House stint? Allies like South Korea aren't ponying up enough for American protection. Echoing this, top Trump officials like Defense Undersecretary Elbridge Colby have floated alliance overhauls, which analysts warn might force Seoul to shoulder more anti-North Korea duties solo, as US assets zero in on Beijing—potentially hiking costs and perils for South Korea while trimming perks.
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